Free Heart of Iron by Bec McMaster

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    Heavens . She let out the breath she’d been holding and backed toward the second hallway. She had to get out of here before he found her.
    But first, she had a little reconnaissance to finish. Find out what was going on between the Council members, if she could.
    Then she was going to plead an attack of the vapors, which, considering how rapidly her heart was beating, shouldn’t be that difficult at all.
    ***
    “Be ready for anythin’,” Blade murmured as they strode through the halls of Lord Harker’s mansion.
    Will rolled his shoulders, his eyes darting through the shadows. Blade had no need to warn him. He’d been on edge ever since they got out of the cursed carriage. Coming here, into the very heart of society, was dangerous. He had to be ready for anything; no more surprises.
    He’d already had his first surprise for the evening. Lena. Though he’d been expecting her, even relishing the opportunity, the sight of her temporarily struck him dumb. She’d always been well-dressed but wreathed in shadows, the gaslight picking out the soft curves and mysterious depths of her body… She’d been breath-catching.
    Her hair tumbled over her shoulder in an elaborate cascade of curls, an elegant comb holding it up. Emeralds dripped into the deep vee of her green dress, drawing his gaze lower. He couldn’t wait to get her alone. Anticipation thrummed through his veins, alerting all of his senses.
    He just didn’t know yet whether he wanted to throttle her—or kiss her.
    A door opened and a swathe of golden light cut through the shadows. Will reined in his thoughts swiftly. No time for distraction. Best way to get his throat slit.
    A man appeared, wearing crisp black from head to toe. He moved with the dangerous grace of a swordsman, his body lean and hard and his dark eyes cautious as he surveyed the darkened hallway. A diamond stud winked in his ear, and though he wore no weapons, an aura of dark violence hung over him.
    Leo Barrons. Lena’s guardian and possibly the only blue blood Will could tolerate besides Blade.
    “Blade.” Barrons offered his hand. His gaze examined the scene swiftly but Will knew he’d noted everything around them, from the pattern in the red carpets, to the fall of their coats. “Excellent timing. The prince consort should be arriving any moment.”
    “The consort?” Blade arched a brow. “My, my, they must want somethin’ from me badly, if they’re bringin’ out ’is Royal Pastiness.”
    Barrons’s lips quirked slyly, but he shook his head in warning. “The others are inside.” A cue for Blade to shut his mouth. Barrons stepped forward with a hand offered. “Will. You look like a mountain, as always.”
    “Near eats me out of ’earth and ’ome,” Blade muttered.
    Will eyed him coolly. “Got me own set of rooms now.”
    “Aye, and yet you’re still in me bloody kitchens every time I turn ’round.” A wary smile; Blade was playing it up for Barrons’s sake—and the others inside—but he hadn’t forgotten where they were.
    “Come in,” Barrons said, gesturing to the door. “I’ll send for some blud-wein. Will, do you want anything? Ale? Wine?”
    Will gave him a long look. No chance in hell he’d be eating or drinking anything as come from this house. “Prefer to keep me wits about me.”
    “Ah, the stoic bodyguard.”
    “Somebody’s gotta watch Blade’s back.”
    Both Barrons and Blade exchanged a look. Blade strode toward the door. “They won’t knife me ’ere. Ain’t the done thing. It’d be in an alley one night, when I’d least expect it. This is just games. Come on, Will. Let’s see what the Council wants.”
    When Blade’d least expect it…like in the drawing room of a manor whilst a party was in full swing. Will stalked behind the pair of them, prepared to leap forward at a second’s notice. They’d taken his weapons at the door, but that was no matter. His body was a weapon.
    Firelight spilled through the room, the shadows